Nahum 2:13

January 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard” (Nahum 2:13).

I neglected to mention yesterday that this book is about Nineveh, the Assyrian city that Jonah was told to evangelize. On that occasion, which was 100-125 years before Nahum’s story, we see God’s offer of salvation to those who repent.

In Nahum, again, 100-125 years later, we see God’s response to a false or lack of repentance. In our verse, notice the Lord says, “I am against you!” No one wants to be in that spot, regardless of how much they may want to ignore God. After describing a variety of negative outcomes, he says, “the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.”

Reading this reminded me of an archaeology article I read over the weekend, which described the destruction of Nineveh both in its ancient fall to Babylon and when ISIS destroyed much of the Assyrian artifacts that remained into the 20th century.

The point that stands out to me today is that God graciously offers salvation to those who repent, and He stands on business with those who don’t repent.

Father, thank you for offering this sinner the chance to repent. Please help me to have a consistently repentant heart. Amen.

Filed Under: archaeology, Assyria, Babylon, devotional thoughts, Nahum, Old Testament, Sovereignty

Amos 4:10, 12-13

January 8, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“’I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord” (Amos 4:10).

In this chapter, Amos provides a list of 5 calamities the Lord sent upon Israel. After describing each calamity (hunger, drought, pestilence, etc), Amos recorded these sad words, “yet you did not return to me, declares the Lord.”

A few observations here: 1) calamity is a tool in the Lord’s toolbox. In this chapter, we see that God doesn’t just allow bad things to happen; He actually causes those things. 

2) God can do this without being guilty of doing wrong. This may challenge some who think too philosophically about God. The true God of the Bible may not always fit in neat philosophical categories. 

3) The condemnation “yet you did not return to me” suggests that calamity is not random; it has meaning and purpose. In these cases, it was used to draw Israel back to the Lord. 

If we take the approach that “bad things” cannot be from God, this chapter can not make sense. This forces us to take a larger view of the world around us. In fact, we should seek to recognize the Lord’s hand in all things happening around us. That is how Joseph responded to being betrayed by his brothers. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50‬:‭20‬).

Father, please help me see your hand in this world, and help me to respond appropriately to the things that happen to/around me. Amen.

Filed Under: Amos, devotional thoughts, Genesis, Old Testament, Sovereignty

Jeremiah 49:19

October 11, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?”

Chapter 49 focuses on the surrounding nations that have come under God’s judgment. Verse 19 is focused on Edom’s inability to resist the mighty hand of God. Note the three questions offered in this verse: “For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?” In a word, nobody! These questions are designed to solicit a single response, reminding the hearer of God’s sovereign rule over the earth.

The lion imagery is intended to illustrate God’s activity in the details of life. He is not a sovereign ruler who remains at a distance. In fact, he is an all powerful who is involved in the very fine details of life.

Father, thank you that you are not only aware of what’s happening here, but you are involved in those things. Amen.

Filed Under: covanent, devotional thoughts, Jeremiah, Old Testament, Sovereignty

Jeremiah 40:1-3

October 2, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, ‘The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.’” (Jeremiah 40:1-3)

Interestingly, the captain of the guard is echoing Jeremiah’s warnings back to Jeremiah. Of course, the soldier is speaking after the fact. That means he has connected Jeremiah’s warnings with the actual event.

  1. Jeremiah’s God (YHWH) pronounced this disaster (ie, the destruction of Jerusalem).
  2. The Lord brought it about. He did what He said He would do.
  3. This happened because of sin.

I hope that I will be able to connect God’s word to my life as well as that soldier did.

Father, please help me to see your book, the Bible, as clearly as this soldier saw your word through Jeremiah. Amen.

Filed Under: Babylon, devotional thoughts, Jeremiah, Old Testament, Sovereignty

Motivation to Work Towards Unity

April 23, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Philippians 2:12-13 NIV

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

In the previous section, Paul encouraged – even instructed – the Philippian community to be unified. His words: easy to understand, harder to do.

This section is a followup, or final push to encourage the Philippians to find unity among themselves. Notice how Paul attempts to persuade them to follow through – even if the task seems too difficult or uninteresting: (my paraphrase) “In the past, you followed my instruction while I was with you. Now, in my absence, it’s all the more important for you to do so. And, if you think it’s too hard – or you just don’t want to – remember this: It is God who is working in you, giving you the desire to do and empowering you to do what He desires.”

Paul’s letter to the Colossians had a similar phrase: (1:29 – emphasis added) “To this end, I labor, struggling with all HIS energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

So, once again, we can say that we work, and God gets the credit. Why? Because He works in us to give us the desire to work, and He gives us the energy to work. Why be motivated to work towards unity? Because that is God working in us!

Filed Under: Colossians, encouragement, New Testament, Philippians, Sovereignty
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